“They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long. How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them! Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams. Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter.”
At times I feel my sin says to me in my heart and to my heart: I will crush (subdue) you completely! I (Ben), thinking that I am King of my life, ask myself how long will this last and why do You God not do anything about this?
I forget He has done something about this already, when I am choosing to fix my eyes on my emotions/sin/troubled heart. I appreciate this Psalm of Asaph is brutally honest with his emotions/thoughts towards God, doesn’t sugarcoat it, and actually shares it raw with Him. AND, by the Holy Spirit, it is a blessing to see God move Asaph to acknowledge God as King and to remember the actions God has already done in the past (yours is the day and the night, you split the seas open). By God I am trying to do that, one moment at a time, that I am not the King of my life, God is the King on my life, try to take the night right actions even if it hurts, try to trust that God is King, that He ultimately protects me from my sin, and He prepares my place for me in God’s house where I will be free from the oppression and bondage of my sin. One day and night at a time.
Like
Ben
Jul 10
“Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. …But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high! … For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them. For God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it; the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it.”
Reproaches, disapproval, disappointment, and my fear of man, by God, when I don’t give it up to God, leaves me in despair. To try to combat my fear of man, I try to use my fear of man to try to comfort me from my parents, family, and friends, and at times, even then, I don’t find any comfort from them, respectfully. I think that maybe, just this next time, “Princes” will save me. Nope.
I appreciate David acknowledged his honest pain, that he is in current pain, yet, by God’s power, David reaches for God even while he is the pain that he is in. Him reminding himself of the Truth: that God hears the needy and accepts his people, even in their sin (in Christ we are made new). God helps David remember about the future new Heaven and new Earth, that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes, God will dwell with us, we will be His people, and He will be our God. Him approving us in Christ making us His people, Him approving us in Christ making Him our God, and Him approving us in Christ and living with us, I find that very hopeful, inspiring, and (by God’s power) worth, at times, all of the trials I get to endure now with Jesus. I am glad God helps me in my despair, and by God, help me try to walk with Him and try to let Him carry me, because I can’t see. That end promise gives me hope.
Like
Pastor Steve
Jul 11
Replying to
Just as real as pain and joy are, so is the grace that God gives us! We have a real God who meets us in our needs and then leads us through. Like a Good Shepherd walking us through the valley of the shadow of death, we have hope on the other side. Hope!
Like
Karlee
Jul 08
1 Corinthians 15:55-58
As someone who striggled heavily with anxiety in high school and still sometimes struggles, I feel like the closing of this chapter was a great explanation of how I “deal” with it. I think these verses are so strong yet non-believers can’t always understand the peace that comes with Christ. Even on my darkest days, death where is your sting…thanks be to God…fully commit to the Lord! It’s like putting my mindset into words and to be reminded that it came directly from His word!
Like
Ben
Jul 04
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-25 ESV
As a former CUW athlete, for me only, I did try to use self-control to try to run to receive the perishable wreath (adoration, human acceptance, social status, human love, etc.). It sometimes worked and it sometimes didn’t. But the prize wasn’t fulfilling, as it felt very empty to me. It was very discouraging to me which created thoughts in me such as: “this is all there is?” And,”what’s the point?” And, “this can’t be all there is to in life.”
As I am still learning this, thankful my God hasn’t given up on me, and understanding I will never fully understand this on this side of Heaven, Jesus has helped show me more of His unconditional love and more of Himself. Through His Word, The Lord’s Supper, and His Baptism of me, He continues to draw me back to Him. I know I haven’t arrived fully yet and I am trying to understand that His imperishable prize is more than I can think or imagine, I am trying, by the Holy Spirit, to continue to let go and let Him carry me because I can’t see. I claim that I can see sometimes, but that is a lie, and makes me blind to the Truth that He sees better than me. It is terrifying for me to let Him carry me while I can’t see, however, by His Spirit, He gives me the courage to rest on Him and His promises, and to continue to run this race of life to receive Him as the ultimate Imperishable prize, one day at a time, reading His Word, trying to stay in fellowship with other Christians, go to church, and try to do His will one day at a time.
Like
Pastor Steve
Jul 07
Replying to
I love this imagery, as we seem to love competition and sports (not so much after being crushed in soccer last night...still proud of team USA). Many go so far as to say this competition is bad, and you shouldn't strive for those things. I believe Paul is saying that people strive for those perishable wreaths...but HOW MUCH MORE should we strive for that imperishable one! The real danger is when we focus on the perishable over the imperishable...when we put ourselves over God. To which we remember His plans are better, His vision is better, His way is better! Amen!
Like
Ben
Jun 26
“But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.”
Mark 14:70-72 ESV
I can pray with and to my God Jesus and say I “know” Him when I am alone and not challenged by my sinful heart (by God’s grace at times), but like Peter, because of my sinful heart, when I am challenged by/with others, I can obey my sinful heart and listen to it and repeat the curses that it tells me, and I repeat those curses to myself, and then say I don’t know Jesus. I worship my sin over worshipping Jesus.
Then while I am insulting myself and Jesus, Jesus says: “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Jesus knows me and knows I am insulting Him, YET He still forgives me, and wants to know me. By God’s power, for me at times, that can start to melt my heart for Him more, try to confess my sin in me to Him, ask for His forgiveness, remember my baptism in Him, rejoice in my sins are destroyed and my relationship with Him is right again, because of His works, try to get to enjoy and know Him and my relationship with Him, and try to do His will.
Not perfectly, as this can happen every other second at times, for me. By God’s grace, I am grateful He doesn’t let go of me out of His hand as He continues to prune me, even though it hurts, and I get to try to follow Him today.
Like
Pastor Steve
Jun 25
In reading Job (you know it isn't my favorite book), I am struck by how much I can identify with Job. I haven't done anything wrong. I am a good person. I love Jesus. We can tend to think that we deserve so much more than what God is giving us.
Then I read chapter 11 and the words of Zophar! You deserve worse! "My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in God's eyes" (11:4). I realized he might be a Lutheran pastor. Calling everyone a sinner when they claim to be good! He could day, "there are no good people" and possibly quote Romans 3!
There is a tension that we hold daily. I deserve nothing but death because of my sin! Yet, we strive to be good people as we let our lights shine. Because of our Baptism, we are pure and holy new creations! This tension, we can see in the book of Job. We do deserve to have Satan unleashed upon us. Yet, God in His divine mercy and goodness protects us - limits Satan. Beyond that, we know the end of the story and the deliverance and victory He has won for us!
The only remedy for suffering and evil is Jesus! We need Him. I need Him! Praise the Lord who has delivered me from this body of death (Rom 7:25)!
Like
Karlee
Jul 01
Replying to
I promise I’m still reading! This plan has really helped me to have more discipline and it’s been fun “sharing” that time with the boys watching. What is striking me about Job is how we are known! God doesn’t hold our wrongs against us, fully knows us but loves us!
Like
Ben
Jun 20
“The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.”
Mark 8:11-13 ESV
I personally seem to be a Pharisee at trying to test Jesus/God, by trying to demand a sign from Him: “show me why I should trust You in my distress/pain,” or I might try to arouse His anger to maybe “get” Him to bend to my will by saying, “I HATE You, God! You are evil, self-absorbed, and prideful for only wanting me to worship You alone. Who do you think You are?” Obviously, I am wrong in that, it doesn’t get me anywhere, and continues to carry me further and further away from Him, until I am only deeper into my prideful misery.
However, I am grateful that He still pursues me, sent me the sign of Jonah, His Son Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the prophets, and so many daily signs that continue to try to “woo” me back to Him, not because I have done anything good, but because He is good, and gives me a new heart of flesh to really want Him alone. Him bearing the anguish of my sin, the experience of the Father forsaking Jesus and that Father/Son relationship breaking for a moment, still being compassionate to me saying: “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” giving me Jesus’ righteousness, continuing to bear my future sins, and simply holding me in His arms even in my mess, by His Spirit, breaks my heart more, to just try to be content with Him, trust Him in my distress, and to submit to His plans and will. He is the hero, not me, and it is a blessing that He gives my soul ultimate rest. Asking my God to continue to guide me and to give me Him to be content where I am.
Edited
Like
Pastor Steve
Jun 22
Replying to
Ben, I couldn't help but smile. I often identify with the people that we are not supposed to be. I see the worst in my own struggles and such - must be the mirror of the law working well. When the disciples are getting it wrong, I feel like I am them. When the Pharisee's are at work, I find my hands along with theirs. But thanks be to God, Jesus saves us all! Well said, He seeks us! He "woos" us! He loves us! Amen!
Like
Ben
May 23
I can’t promise that I will be able to give a “Bible reading in a year” comment/thoughts on the readings every week, and I will try to do so. I missed a couple of days and weeks, however, by God’s grace, I am trying to catch up a little by little to try to be up to date with the yearly reading guide of reading through the Bible. Grateful I am saved by Christ’s works and not by me keeping the law.
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”
2 Peter 3:18 ESV
These scriptures are ripping my heart to pieces, and it sometimes physically hurts to hear the loving truth from God, and I don’t want to hear it, however, wounds from a Friend can be trusted. Asking my God to continue to give me the strength in my weaknesses to do His will with this all.
What hit me in this 2nd Peter verse, is that I have been growing in the law of religion and knowledge of my effort and of my false savior Ben (myself), instead of growing in the grace, knowledge of God, and of the true Savior Jesus Christ. Lately, I have been worshipping my self-centered pride, ego, and people-pleasing sins to “give” me “true” rest for my soul. It’s not working. It has caused me and others pain and harm. However, I am grateful that growing in the grace and knowledge of God (John 3:16) and of Jesus Christ, has been more fulfilling and more restful for my soul. Trying to see God’s heart for me is helping soften my heart of stone a little more. It’s refreshing to know my I am good enough in Christ’s works in His eyes, and that gives my soul rest. Not perfect on it at all, however, just continuing to ask God to help keep me and my soul safe in His arms and protect me from my evil heart, sin, the Devil, and the world’s attacks on me, and trying to try to let Him carry me through each day rather then try to carry myself. Grateful for God working through the comments that people share on this forum, because it helps me show I am not alone in my sufferings and walk with God. Thank you all.
Like
Pastor Steve
May 28
Replying to
It is so easy to shift into what I am doing or need to do...rather than remembering and relishing in what Jesus has done for me! Amen!
Like
Ben
May 03
“Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his own home. And all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?””
the people of Israel said this after Absalom had died. Israel, who followed Absalom, now wants David back as king, shows how, respectfully, men can change human allegiances rather quickly. I know I have done something like this before in spirit, however, I appreciate the reminder that my allegiance needs to be only to God, and not to a human. I am grateful God doesn’t change, like how humans and other things in this world do change.
Like
Pastor Steve
May 06
Replying to
Who trusts in princes, or humanity will certainly be disappointed. But God is faithful in all things and throughout all time and eternity! Worthy of our trust indeed!
Like
Ben
Apr 25
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.”
I relate to this for me trying to gain righteousness through trying to keep the whole law. Grateful Christ has fulfilled the whole law in His heart, to give me His righteousness. Asking my God to help me give up my flesh and live in His Spirit.
Like
Pastor Steve
Apr 27
Replying to
I love this...we are now free to do the 10 Commandment!! I wish I did it perfectly, or even well....but we are free from the judgement and condemnation that the law brings!
“They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long. How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them! Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams. Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter.”
Psalm 74:8-17 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.74.8-17.ESV
At times I feel my sin says to me in my heart and to my heart: I will crush (subdue) you completely! I (Ben), thinking that I am King of my life, ask myself how long will this last and why do You God not do anything about this?
I forget He has done something about this already, when I am choosing to fix my eyes on my emotions/sin/troubled heart. I appreciate this Psalm of Asaph is brutally honest with his emotions/thoughts towards God, doesn’t sugarcoat it, and actually shares it raw with Him. AND, by the Holy Spirit, it is a blessing to see God move Asaph to acknowledge God as King and to remember the actions God has already done in the past (yours is the day and the night, you split the seas open). By God I am trying to do that, one moment at a time, that I am not the King of my life, God is the King on my life, try to take the night right actions even if it hurts, try to trust that God is King, that He ultimately protects me from my sin, and He prepares my place for me in God’s house where I will be free from the oppression and bondage of my sin. One day and night at a time.
“Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. …But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high! … For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them. For God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it; the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it.”
Psalm 69:20, 29, 33-36 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.69.20.ESV
Reproaches, disapproval, disappointment, and my fear of man, by God, when I don’t give it up to God, leaves me in despair. To try to combat my fear of man, I try to use my fear of man to try to comfort me from my parents, family, and friends, and at times, even then, I don’t find any comfort from them, respectfully. I think that maybe, just this next time, “Princes” will save me. Nope.
I appreciate David acknowledged his honest pain, that he is in current pain, yet, by God’s power, David reaches for God even while he is the pain that he is in. Him reminding himself of the Truth: that God hears the needy and accepts his people, even in their sin (in Christ we are made new). God helps David remember about the future new Heaven and new Earth, that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes, God will dwell with us, we will be His people, and He will be our God. Him approving us in Christ making us His people, Him approving us in Christ making Him our God, and Him approving us in Christ and living with us, I find that very hopeful, inspiring, and (by God’s power) worth, at times, all of the trials I get to endure now with Jesus. I am glad God helps me in my despair, and by God, help me try to walk with Him and try to let Him carry me, because I can’t see. That end promise gives me hope.
1 Corinthians 15:55-58
As someone who striggled heavily with anxiety in high school and still sometimes struggles, I feel like the closing of this chapter was a great explanation of how I “deal” with it. I think these verses are so strong yet non-believers can’t always understand the peace that comes with Christ. Even on my darkest days, death where is your sting…thanks be to God…fully commit to the Lord! It’s like putting my mindset into words and to be reminded that it came directly from His word!
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-25 ESV
As a former CUW athlete, for me only, I did try to use self-control to try to run to receive the perishable wreath (adoration, human acceptance, social status, human love, etc.). It sometimes worked and it sometimes didn’t. But the prize wasn’t fulfilling, as it felt very empty to me. It was very discouraging to me which created thoughts in me such as: “this is all there is?” And,”what’s the point?” And, “this can’t be all there is to in life.”
As I am still learning this, thankful my God hasn’t given up on me, and understanding I will never fully understand this on this side of Heaven, Jesus has helped show me more of His unconditional love and more of Himself. Through His Word, The Lord’s Supper, and His Baptism of me, He continues to draw me back to Him. I know I haven’t arrived fully yet and I am trying to understand that His imperishable prize is more than I can think or imagine, I am trying, by the Holy Spirit, to continue to let go and let Him carry me because I can’t see. I claim that I can see sometimes, but that is a lie, and makes me blind to the Truth that He sees better than me. It is terrifying for me to let Him carry me while I can’t see, however, by His Spirit, He gives me the courage to rest on Him and His promises, and to continue to run this race of life to receive Him as the ultimate Imperishable prize, one day at a time, reading His Word, trying to stay in fellowship with other Christians, go to church, and try to do His will one day at a time.
“But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.”
Mark 14:70-72 ESV
I can pray with and to my God Jesus and say I “know” Him when I am alone and not challenged by my sinful heart (by God’s grace at times), but like Peter, because of my sinful heart, when I am challenged by/with others, I can obey my sinful heart and listen to it and repeat the curses that it tells me, and I repeat those curses to myself, and then say I don’t know Jesus. I worship my sin over worshipping Jesus.
Then while I am insulting myself and Jesus, Jesus says: “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Jesus knows me and knows I am insulting Him, YET He still forgives me, and wants to know me. By God’s power, for me at times, that can start to melt my heart for Him more, try to confess my sin in me to Him, ask for His forgiveness, remember my baptism in Him, rejoice in my sins are destroyed and my relationship with Him is right again, because of His works, try to get to enjoy and know Him and my relationship with Him, and try to do His will.
Not perfectly, as this can happen every other second at times, for me. By God’s grace, I am grateful He doesn’t let go of me out of His hand as He continues to prune me, even though it hurts, and I get to try to follow Him today.
In reading Job (you know it isn't my favorite book), I am struck by how much I can identify with Job. I haven't done anything wrong. I am a good person. I love Jesus. We can tend to think that we deserve so much more than what God is giving us.
Then I read chapter 11 and the words of Zophar! You deserve worse! "My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in God's eyes" (11:4). I realized he might be a Lutheran pastor. Calling everyone a sinner when they claim to be good! He could day, "there are no good people" and possibly quote Romans 3!
There is a tension that we hold daily. I deserve nothing but death because of my sin! Yet, we strive to be good people as we let our lights shine. Because of our Baptism, we are pure and holy new creations! This tension, we can see in the book of Job. We do deserve to have Satan unleashed upon us. Yet, God in His divine mercy and goodness protects us - limits Satan. Beyond that, we know the end of the story and the deliverance and victory He has won for us!
The only remedy for suffering and evil is Jesus! We need Him. I need Him! Praise the Lord who has delivered me from this body of death (Rom 7:25)!
“The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.”
Mark 8:11-13 ESV
I personally seem to be a Pharisee at trying to test Jesus/God, by trying to demand a sign from Him: “show me why I should trust You in my distress/pain,” or I might try to arouse His anger to maybe “get” Him to bend to my will by saying, “I HATE You, God! You are evil, self-absorbed, and prideful for only wanting me to worship You alone. Who do you think You are?” Obviously, I am wrong in that, it doesn’t get me anywhere, and continues to carry me further and further away from Him, until I am only deeper into my prideful misery.
However, I am grateful that He still pursues me, sent me the sign of Jonah, His Son Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the prophets, and so many daily signs that continue to try to “woo” me back to Him, not because I have done anything good, but because He is good, and gives me a new heart of flesh to really want Him alone. Him bearing the anguish of my sin, the experience of the Father forsaking Jesus and that Father/Son relationship breaking for a moment, still being compassionate to me saying: “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” giving me Jesus’ righteousness, continuing to bear my future sins, and simply holding me in His arms even in my mess, by His Spirit, breaks my heart more, to just try to be content with Him, trust Him in my distress, and to submit to His plans and will. He is the hero, not me, and it is a blessing that He gives my soul ultimate rest. Asking my God to continue to guide me and to give me Him to be content where I am.
I can’t promise that I will be able to give a “Bible reading in a year” comment/thoughts on the readings every week, and I will try to do so. I missed a couple of days and weeks, however, by God’s grace, I am trying to catch up a little by little to try to be up to date with the yearly reading guide of reading through the Bible. Grateful I am saved by Christ’s works and not by me keeping the law.
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”
2 Peter 3:18 ESV
These scriptures are ripping my heart to pieces, and it sometimes physically hurts to hear the loving truth from God, and I don’t want to hear it, however, wounds from a Friend can be trusted. Asking my God to continue to give me the strength in my weaknesses to do His will with this all.
What hit me in this 2nd Peter verse, is that I have been growing in the law of religion and knowledge of my effort and of my false savior Ben (myself), instead of growing in the grace, knowledge of God, and of the true Savior Jesus Christ. Lately, I have been worshipping my self-centered pride, ego, and people-pleasing sins to “give” me “true” rest for my soul. It’s not working. It has caused me and others pain and harm. However, I am grateful that growing in the grace and knowledge of God (John 3:16) and of Jesus Christ, has been more fulfilling and more restful for my soul. Trying to see God’s heart for me is helping soften my heart of stone a little more. It’s refreshing to know my I am good enough in Christ’s works in His eyes, and that gives my soul rest. Not perfect on it at all, however, just continuing to ask God to help keep me and my soul safe in His arms and protect me from my evil heart, sin, the Devil, and the world’s attacks on me, and trying to try to let Him carry me through each day rather then try to carry myself. Grateful for God working through the comments that people share on this forum, because it helps me show I am not alone in my sufferings and walk with God. Thank you all.
“Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his own home. And all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?””
2 Samuel 19:8-10 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/2sa.19.8-10.ESV
the people of Israel said this after Absalom had died. Israel, who followed Absalom, now wants David back as king, shows how, respectfully, men can change human allegiances rather quickly. I know I have done something like this before in spirit, however, I appreciate the reminder that my allegiance needs to be only to God, and not to a human. I am grateful God doesn’t change, like how humans and other things in this world do change.
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.”
Galatians 5:1-6 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gal.5.1-6.ESV
I relate to this for me trying to gain righteousness through trying to keep the whole law. Grateful Christ has fulfilled the whole law in His heart, to give me His righteousness. Asking my God to help me give up my flesh and live in His Spirit.